Casey Stoner To Wildcard At Phillip Island And Motegi For Honda In 2013?

Submitted by David Emmett on Sun, 2013-02-17 14:43

Wherever racing paddocks assemble, rumors accumulate. The latest piece of gossip to hit the racing grapevine concerns Casey Stoner, and is emerging from the paddock he has just entered - the Australian V8 Supercars series - and revolves and the paddock he has just left, MotoGP. According to the V8gossip*, Casey Stoner is to wildcard in at least two MotoGP races in the 2013 season, aboard a Honda RC213V.

The paddock gossip was picked up by the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who contacted Repsol Honda team principal Livio Suppo for confirmation. Suppo denied any knowledge of such an agreement, though he did state that Stoner would be more than welcome to race as a wildcard for Honda, should he wish to do so.

The rumors do not exist only in the V8 Supercar paddock. The rumors are also doing the rounds among those with connections to Honda in the MotoGP paddock as well. Anonymous sources suggest that Stoner has been signed to do all three flyaway races - Sepang, Phillip Island, and Motegi - as well as private testing for HRC.

The logistics of the Dunlop V8 Supercar series - the development class which Stoner must spend a year in before moving up to V8 Supercars proper - are such that it would be impossible for Stoner to compete in the Sepang race. The Dunlop V8 series is scheduled to race at Bathurst on Saturday, 12th October, the day before the MotoGP race at Sepang. Stoner would be unable to qualify, and would therefore be unable to race. However, the Phillip Island and Motegi rounds both fall on weekends with no Dunlop V8 races scheduled, clearing the way for the Australian to race. Having Stoner race at both rounds would make sense: Stoner loves Phillip Island, and would like to race there, while HRC would like to have a wildcard at the track which Honda owns.

Just how true these rumors are remains to be seen. As several internet wits have already remarked, we will only know that he intends to race as a wildcard once he publicly denies it. Given recent history - Stoner publicly denied both his retirement and his signing for the Dunlop V8 series, just days before both were announced - that would be taken as the final confirmation.

* Editor's Note: the Twitter account (@Berncar1) which first broke the rumor of a Stoner wildcard has since been deleted.

THe fastest rider in the world riding as a wildcard next year, at the most spectacular track on the calender (Philip Island), a race which he has won for the past 6 years? Not interesting or relevant? It would be fantastic if it happened!

Stoner retires like 4 months ago and all of a sudden hes no longer relevant?

Thanks you David for bringing us relevant Moto GP news, keeping us up to date with all things bikes at world level, which would include possible wildcard rides, especially by guys who could win said wildcard races.

?? We have 4top riders battling it out for the title. How can you have one rider unaffected by rules(engine etc) be allowed to race just at the tracks he thinks he has the best chance it's not like he's even the reining champ... All joking aside. Casey do yourself a favour turn up next season with a competitive bike and challenge the whole season , fans would love it and you'd have the same chance as everyone else. The riders and bikes are on their last legs at the end of the season after a war of attrition. Ps it's all a bit marketingy lovey paparazzi ish in it?? Surely a different stoner. ;-3

I don't know why he didn't sign up for a job as an HRC test rider & just turn up for the GP's on his door step.
Away from the media spot light as a test rider and for a couple or three weekends a year, just put up with the media hassle for the sake of a trophy & big pay cheque!
There's nothing wrong with having a part time job as a GP rider.

Personally I doubt the possibility at all, Stoner is entirely loyal to his 'employers' and sponsor/s so would be very unlikely to risk injury.

However, if he were to entertain the idea, his attachment to his old team and Gabbarini is very strong and I certainly can't see him doing a 'oncer' without their support, which would only be available if Marquez cannot race.

HRC can certainly utilise that angle,Stoner being compliant that is. My, my and how VW Ducati would love to have his input right now.
It probably won't happen anyway,either side of the coin. The bloke has commited to V8's,fishing and bow hunting for now. At best a 2015 return is on the cards providing the GPC sort out sundry crap. Mind you,Casey will be 30'ish by then. No point really. The scaphoid damage,the ankle damage etc. Not likely. Anyway,I'm no prophet. Anything can happen.
My 2 cents worth of advice to him would be pretty damn simple.
Enjoy your life hammering V8's,catching a big one and watching MGP unravel. Because,it sure is. Read Laverty's take on the classes within a class within another class. GP seriously needs to shunt CRT bikes out of the podium festivities and clearly their exists only 4 or five riders endowed with the kit capable of lifting the 2013 crown. I'll pay my dues and watch 2013,'cos I always do enjoy it,even when its a two rider procession with a handfull capable of springing a surprise.